Matt Storniolo Joins Northwestern U Staff as Assistant Coach

NCAA All-American spent two seasons at Old Dominion as volunteer assistant coach

EVANSTON, Ill. - Matt Storniolo, a two-time All-American at 149 pounds while wrestling for Oklahoma, is the newest addition to Northwestern's coaching staff, head coach Tim Cysewski announced on Friday. Storniolo has spent the last two seasons as a volunteer assistant at Old Dominion where he trained closely with Ryan Williams, the 2009 NCAA runner-up at 141 pounds.

"Matt was an outstanding college wrestler and we saw in person the influence he had on the wrestlers he coached at Old Dominion," Cysewski said. "We think his experience, technical skill and passion for the sport will really help our guys, particularly at the middle weights."

"We're really excited to bring in an individual like Matt who has gone deep in the NCAA Championships as a wrestler and a coach," said associate head coach Andrew Pariano. "He's going to play a huge part in all aspects of our program moving forward."

Storniolo began his college wrestling career at Penn State, reaching the finals of the Big Ten Championships on his way to winning the conference's Freshman of the Year honors. After transferring to Oklahoma, Storniolo reached the Big XII Tournament finals each of the next three years, claiming the league championship as a senior in 2007.

"It is an honor to be welcomed on to the Wildcat coaching staff and I look forward to helping Coach Cysewski and Coach Pariano continue to build this program into one of the nation's elite," Storniolo said. "I am happy to be back in the Big Ten and excited to work with all of the talented wrestlers that Tim and Drew have assembled. This is a dedicated team and coaching staff and I really feel that the sky is the limit for this program."

A four-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships, Storniolo earned his first All-American honor by placing seventh as a sophomore before improving to a fourth-place finish as a junior. In his senior campaign, he entered the tournament as the second-ranked wrestler in the nation.

Before college, Storniolo wrestled to an undefeated senior year at State College Area High School in Pennsylvania en route to a state championship. He was also named a high school All-American.

Storniolo graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science degree in human relations.

Northwestern's season officially gets underway Nov. 7 in the Eastern Michigan Open.

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Herbert, Welch Receive Awards at Northwestern's 2009 Wrestling Banquet

EVANSTON, Ill.-Northwestern became the center of the college wrestling world Saturday when NU held its annual end-of-the-season banquet at the Wildfire Glenview. W.I.N. Magazine was on hand to present NU senior Jake Herbert his 2009 Hodge Trophy as well as freshman Jason Welch with his 2008 Junior Hodge Trophy, marking the first time since the awards' inceptions that both have gone to members of the same college team.

"This occasion was just a great chance to celebrate NU wrestling and one that kind of makes you sit up and take notice of where our program is right now," said Northwestern head coach Tim Cysewski. "The fact that we are the only school to have a national title-winner each of the past three years I think shows this is a great place to come and train to be a champion."

This is the 15th season that W.I.N. Magazine and the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, has issued the Hodge Trophy. Winners are selected based on seven criteria: overall record, number of pins, dominance, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship and heart.

Herbert won college wrestling's Heisman Trophy equivalent after finishing his career by winning the 2009 NCAA title at 184 pounds to cap a perfect 34-0 season, the second unbeaten season of his career. On his way to four top-three finishes at the NCAA championships, Herbert moved into fifth place among all Division I college wrestlers since the 1974-75 season with a four-year winning percentage of .971 (135-4).

"It feels good to know that I'm leaving the program in a great place and knowing that there are guys coming behind me like Jason who can carry on the legacy," Herbert said. "I think Tim and (associate head coach) Drew (Pariano) have built the program up to where it will be successful year in and year out."

Welch's Junior Dan Hodge Trophy was presented in recognition of his achievements while at Las Lomas High School in California where he became the 13th wrestler in state history to win three state championships. Welch, who went undefeated his senior year to finish with a career mark of 194-7, translated his high school dominance into success on the college level, placing second in the Big Ten at 157 pounds while qualifying for his first NCAA Championships.
Northwestern Upend No. 15 Wisconsin with Dramatic 21-19 Win

Kellogg notches key pin for NU as Wildcat wrestlers improve to 2-0 in conference

EVANSTON, Ill. - No. 19 Northwestern scored victories in five weight classes and picked up an invaluable six points on a pin by redshirt freshman Robert Kellogg en route to a 21-19 victory against No. 15 Wisconsin at Welsh-Ryan Arena Sunday. With the win, NU sits at 2-0 in conference action heading into Saturday's match at Michigan.

Sunday's match had all the makings of one that would come down to the final bout, even after Northwestern leapt out to a 7-0 lead thanks to wins by Brandon Precin at 125 and Eric Metzler at 133. Third-ranked Precin (20-1) coasted to a 12-0 major decision against the Badgers' Drew Hammen on the strength of a near-fall in the first period that gave him a 5-0 advantage. It marked the 90th career victory for Precin, who has not lost a match since Nov. 9. Metzler bounced back from a loss Friday to top-ranked Franklin Gomez of Michigan State by handling Wisconsin's Kyle Reeve, 12-6.

No. 16 Keith Sulzer limited fifth-ranked Zach Tanelli to just three points but couldn't get on the scoreboard in his 3-0 defeat. Tanelli, a two-time NCAA qualifier who was named the Champion of Champions at the 2008 Midlands Championships in Evanston, outlasted Sulzer to earn his 17th win of the season.

After Wisconsin's Kyle Ruschell reduced NU's lead to 7-6 with a win at 149, freshman No. 17 Jason Welch righted the ship for Northwestern (9-3, 2-0) with a 6-0 victory over Ben Jordan. It was the second consecutive 6-0 win for Welch, who improves to 9-1 in dual competition this season.

A major decision at 165 by the Badgers' Andrew Howe evened the team score at 10 apiece, setting the stage for Kellogg's bout at 174 against Travis Rutt, who entered the match with an 8-6 season record. Rutt started the match with a quick two points in the first period and opened his lead to 4-0 in the second before Kellogg scored on an escape. That remained the score into the third frame when Kellogg seized momentum, getting Howe to his back and keeping him there with a pin at the 6:19 mark, sending the NU crowd on hand at Welsh-Ryan Arena into a frenzy and putting the 'Cats up 16-10.

At 184, senior Jake Herbert had no difficulty scoring on Wisconsin's Eric Bugenhagen but was unable to turn his opponent on his back more than once. Bugenhagen did well to keep a point on Wisconsin's side as the match ended in a 22-7 tech fall, giving Herbert his 20th victory of the year.

Wisconsin (6-4, 0-2) would not go down without a fight as one of the nation's top 197-pounders, Dallas Herbst, came through with a much-needed pin for the Badgers in 4:42 against NU's John Schoen, pulling UW to within five.

Northwestern's redshirt freshman Ben Kuhar squared off with No. 7 Kyle Massey, with Kuhar taking a 1-0 lead on an escape to start the second session. Massey responded with a takedown and had Kuhar in a headlock in an effort to turn him on his back, but time ran out in the second period. Massey went on to build a 5-1 lead but could not get the necessary pin or tech fall as the match ended 21-19 in Northwestern's favor.

Northwestern avenged its 21-19 loss to the Badgers a year ago in Madison, Wis.

Head coach Tim Cysewski takes his squad to four consecutive road bouts before NU's next home match, beginning at Michigan on Saturday, Jan. 31.

Northwestern 21, Wisconsin 19
125: B. Precin (NU) MD D. Hammen (WIS), 12-0 NU 4, WIS 0
133: E. Metzler (NU) dec. K. Reeve (WIS), 12-6 NU 7, WIS 0
141: Z. Tanelli (WIS) dec. K. Sulzer (NU), 3-0 NU 7, WIS 3
149: K. Ruschell (WIS) dec. A. Nadhir (NU), 8-4 NU 7, WIS 6
157: J. Welch (NU) dec. B. Jordan (WIS), 6-0 NU 10, WIS 6
165: A. Howe (WIS) MD D. Marella (NU), 16-5 NU 10, WIS 10
174: R. Kellogg (NU) fall T. Rutt (WIS), 6:19 NU 16, WIS 10
184: J. Herbert (NU) TF E. Bugenhagen (WIS), 6:34 NU 21, WIS 10
197: D. Herbst (WIS) fall J. Schoen (NU), 4:42 NU 21, WIS 16
285: K. Massey (WIS) dec. B. Kuhar (NU), 5-1 NU 21, WIS 19